Partition structure



Apnl 17, 1962 D. L. SHANK 3,029,911

PARTITION STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 28, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l2 I V INVENTOR. Dovi d L. Shank ATTORNEY April 17, 1962 D. SHANK 3,029,911

PARTITION STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 28, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. David L. Shank ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,029,911 PARTITION STRUCTURE Daxrd L. Shank, Williamsville, N.Y., assignor to National uypsum Company, Buffalo, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 28, 1959, Ser. No. 789,648 4 Claims. (Cl. 189-34) This invention relates to an improved, simplified and standardized column structure and is particularly directed to a standardized structural combination of nonloadbearing metal studs to form columns for use in structures such as adjacent door bucks, borrowed lights, etc.

Lightweight, nonload-bearing metal studs are commonly used for interior partitions in widths of about two to six Inches, and are normally fabricated from two spaced, parallel, elongate chord members and a single, stiff, sinuous wire alternately welded therealong to each opposed chord member. Such studs, used individually, are highly satisfactory at normal spaced intermediate positions along a partition, however, adjacent openings, such as adjacent door bucks, additional strength and resistance to dltferent forms of stress are required, which are not fully provided by a single lightweight metal stud. Various methods are presently employed to properly meet this requirement, the more relevant methods, insofar as the present invention, being that of welding four lightweight metal studs to form a substantially square cross section column or that of welding two studs immediately together to form a single unit, double in thickness, but substantially thinner than the aforesaid square cross-sectioned column.

The first mentioned method is structurally highly satisfactory, however, the use of four studs, and the substantial fabrication costs, make for an over-all excessive cost for the column. The second method would be of a reasonable cost if the quality were satisfactory, however, two directly welded, parallel studs do not provide sufiicient strength in the added respects sought in forming a column. Thus, means for providing the strength of the former method with the reasonable cost of the latter method have been sought by the industry.

A further desirable characteristic sought in column structures for use adjacent openings is that of providing a stud close to but spaced from the opening structure for accessibility in attachment thereto of the edges of the wall facing structure such as lath or wallboard.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means for forming a structure having the structural strengths of the said former prior method within the reasonable costs of the said latter prior method.

It is a further object to provide an improved partition column using essentially only two standard lightweight metal studs and inexpensive novel means for joining the two studs in improved columnar form.

It is a further object to provide an improved partition opening structure embodying the abovesaid improved partition column.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide an improved partition column structure having a single stud closely spaced from an opening structure for ready attachment thereto of wall facing structure material.

These and other objects of the invention will be more readily apparent when considered in relation to the preferred embodiment as set forth in the specification and shown in the drawings in which:

FIG; 1 is a front view of a partially constructed partition showing framework elements constructed in accordance with the invention, and with the wall facing structure broken away.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of'a portion of the framework of FIG. 1 showing the novel column structure.

3,@Z9,9ll Patented Apr. 17, 1962 "ice FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the column clip of FIG. 2. 7

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view similar to FIG. 2 showing a modification of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view similar to FIG. 2 showing another modification of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a floor 10, a ceiling 12 and a plurality of vertically disposed lightweight metal studs 14. A door buck 16 is mounted in the position desired in the finished partition. Gypsum lath sheets 18, or equivalent wall-facing material, are shown, broken "away, attached to the face of studs 14. Two pairs of studs14 are combined to form vertical columns 20' at each side of door buck 16, in accordance with the invention and as fully described further below.

In the present embodiment, the studs 14, designated 14a and 14b in columns 20, which are constructed similar to the studs 14 used individually at spaced positions throughout the partition, are prefabricated units including two spaced angle irons 22, one flange 24 of each angle iron forming the two opposed outer faces of the stud against which the wall facing material is to be disposed, and the side flange 26, of each angle iron of the studs 14a and 14b, being inwardly directed, the two side flanges 26 of each stud being in a common plane, both perpendicular to the general plane of the partition. The two angle. irons 22 of each stud are fixed together in proper spaced relation by a sinuous Wire 28, welded alternately to the opposed angle iron side flanges 26. The studs 14, for individual use, are known available products, normally. fabricated in Widths from about two inches to six inches, and are readily adaptable without any modification for use in forming the novel columns 26* of the invention. Other presently available forms of lightweight metal studs, such as with two spaced straight rods or wires 30 replacing each angle iron 22, as shown in FIG. 4, are also equally adaptable to use in forming columns, in accordance with the invention.

Columns 20 are assembled on the site of construction from prefabricated studs 14 and flat, sheet-metal, column clips 40. A first-mounted inner stud 14a is afiixed adjacent to a vertical section 44 of door buck 16, preferably by wire tying at approximately two foot spaced positions to right angle plates 46 attached within the outwardly directed open channel 48 of which the door buck 16 is comprised. Plates 46 are rigidly fixed Within channel 48, such as by welds 49, disposed generally in 'a plane perpendicular to the vertical side 44 of the door buck 16, .and of sufficient size that the inner stud 14a,

when tied tightly thereagainst, is disposed at approxi-- -The clips 40 are a fiat rigid sheet, of preferably #20 gauge cold rolled steel, with four notches 54, two on each of the two opposed end edges 56. Notches 54 are preferably shaped to a form generally complementary and of friction-tight fit to the chords of studs 14a and 14b at a point of juncture of the wire 28 and the chord angle iron 22.

The clips 40 are formed with a distance between end edges 56 sufficient to extend substantially the full Width of studs 14a and 14b, and, thus would be manufactured and sold for each respective width of stud which is manufactured and sold for availability for each thickness of partition desired constructed, such studs normally being manufactured in widths from about two inches to six inches. The preferred opposite, perpendicular dimension of clips 40 has been found to be that dimension which is surficient to space the two studs 14a and 14b preferably two inches, irrespective of the endwise dimension of the clip or width of studs, however, from one inch to four inches of stud spacing in this opposite dimension has been found to provide an improved column structure in accordance with the invention.

The preferred form of clip 40 includes notches 54 having laterally extending innermost edges 58 which are each spaced slightly farther from the innermost edges 58 of the notches 54 of the opposite end edge 56 than the spacing between the stud angle irons 22, whereby the friction tight fit of clips 40 is produced at the innermost edges 58 of the clip notches. The side edges 59 of the notches, extending perpendicular to the innermost edges 58 are formed for complementary fitting about the stud angle iron side flanges 26 and are, in each respective notch, spaced apart sufiicient for a loose fit on the angle iron side flanges. When clip 40 is positioned on studs 14a and 14b, it is essential that the notch side edges 59, each be disposed closely adjacent the angle iron side flanges to form a suitable column of studs 14a and 14b. Any tendency of stud 14a to be turned, by normal forces in the use of door back 16, will be imparted through clips 40 to stud 14b, and, by the relatively close fit of side edges 59 against angle iron side flanges 26, the turning of stud 140 will be substantially completely prevented. Thus, a standard lightweight metal stud is suitably reinforced in the structure of column 2t} in respects in which the stud used individually would be insufficient in strength when used adjacent partition openings such as door bucks.

Referring to FIG. 4, a modified form of lightweight metal stud 70 is shown wherein the stud chord 72 comprises two straight, relatively stitf wires with the sinuous web wire 74 welded alternately to the opposed chords and between the two wires of each respective chord. A modified column clip 76, in accordance with the invention, is tightly fit between the opposed chords, of one stud 70 with projections 78 extending between the two wires of each chord, it being understood that a second similar stud is to be disposed at the laterally spaced projections shown, to form a stable column, in accordance with the invention.

In FIG. 5, a stud 14 is shown having a modified column clip 80, wherein four notches 82 are formed with an inwardly acutely angled outer side edge 84, which edge 84 portion, prior to mounting, may be bent upwardly to permit relatively easier placement of the clip, with relatively tighter final engagement on the studs 14 provided when the edge 84 portions are restraightened. The

notch can be formed of a width that the restraightened edges engage behind the web wires 28 or even narrower to the degree that the restraightened edges engage the stud flanges 26.

By common practice, lightweight metal studs 14 are made with sinuous wires 28 welded to angle irons 22 always at equal dimensions from the bottom ends of the studs. Thus, the clips 40 may be disposed at a V in the wire 28 of each of studs 14a and 14b as is necessary and will consequently then be disposed horizontally and perpendicular to the two studs 14a and 14b.

The lath sheets 18 are attached to studs 14 with any usual attachment clips 60 and adjacent the door buck 16, the clips 69 are attached in the usual manner to the outer stud 14b which is sufiiciently spaced from the door buck in accordance with the invention for ready easy attachment.

It will be readily apparent that the costs of column clips 40 and the labor involved in mounting the clips 40 are of relative insignificance in an over-all consideration of the partition costs, but that, nevertheless, a solid column structure is provided by their combination with inner and outer studs 14a and 14b, in accordance with the invention.

Furthermore, the structural manner in which clips 40 convert the two studs 14a and 14b into a structure for column-type stress resistances is particularly effective in combination with the evenly spaced closely adjacent plates 46 to which the column is afiixed and through which the column-type stress resistances must be effected.

The far-less costly combination of clips 40 with two studs 14a and 1412 has been found to provide a column of even greater columnar stability than the prior columns formed by welding four studs into a square cross-sectioned column, which was generally the prior preferred form, for quality, of combining lightweight studs in columns.

Having completed a detailed disclosure of the preferred embodiments of my invention so that those skilled in the art may practice the same, I contemplate that variations may be made without departing from the essence of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A building partition comprising a plurality. of elongate vertical metal studs each having a pair of opposed outer continuous fixedly spaced parallel chord portions and means holding said chords in fixed spaced relation, said means being of a discontinuous structure whereby openings are provided between said spaced chords, a portion of said plurality of metal studs being individually disposed in substantially evenly spaced relation forming the general framing members for wall facing material attached thereto, and a further portion of said plurality of metal studs being afiixed in pairs of two studs adjacent the vertical edges of openings in said partition forming rigid column members, said pairs of two studs being vertically disposed in side by side parallel spaced relation, said two studs having top and bottom ends fxedly mounted in fixed stud receiving means, said two studs being rigidly adjoined at spaced'vertical positions by a plurality of column clips to form a lightweight column, said column clips each being formed from a single generally flat metal sheet and being tightly fitted between the opposed chords of both said studs, said clips having means engaging each said stud chord preventing substantially lateral movement of said clip relative to each said chord, said means being disposed to maintain said two studs at fixed relative positions spaced apart between one and four inches, whereby a stable column is thereby provided.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein said stud chords comprise angle irons having an outer flange and an inwardly directed flange, and said column clips include notches into which said inwardly directed flanges extend, the innermost, laterally extending edges of said notches being tightly fitted against said inwardly directed flanges.

3. The structure of claim 2, wherein the outer side edges of said notches extend acutely inwardly, and the positions of said clip adjacent said outer side edges lockingly engage said studs.

4. The structure of claim 1, wherein said stud chords comprise a pair of spaced parallel straight wires, and said column clips include projections disposed between said wires.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,007,618 Snead July 9, 1935 2,140,313 Dellenbarger et a1 Dec. 13, 1938 2,289,989 Page July 14, 1942 2,796,158 Miles et al June 18, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 381,771 Great Britain Oct. 13, 1932 470,430 Great Britain Aug. 16, 1937 

